The present invention relates to a tear open can opener, and more particularly to a can opener for use with ring-type opening tabs.
Ring-type opening tabs are used on a variety of canned goods including soft drinks, beverages and other canned foods which all are designed to be opened manually using the fingers where can openers and other opening utensils are not available. These types of cans require that the closure be opened by pulling the tab ring upwardly, thereby initially separating the closure from the can and pulling the ring in a direction along a tear line to completely remove the closure from the can. However, many of these openers are difficult to open for various consumers, either because of the lack of strength of the individual, or the difficulty in inserting a finger or fingernail under the ring to obtain the necessary leverage.
Among the prior art patents directed to can openers to remove the lids from tear top cans are the patents to Coker U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,071, the patent to Reed et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,375, the patent to Bucko U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,297, the patent to Goldberg U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,216, the patent to Greenwood U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,781, the patent to Kubach et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,794, the patent to Miller U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,921, the patent to Bergmeister U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,167 and the patent to Kroeger et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,429. The prior art can opener patents, particularly the Coker patent, are designed to open beverage cans where the pull tab is centrally located on the top of the can, however, these designs do not lend themselves to opening of food cans where the ring is located adjacent the edge of the can.